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5/11/2009

Amigurumi Workshop Series: Getting Started

By now, you have your yarn and hook and you're itching to get started on your first amigurumi. There's just one problem... you don't know how to crochet. Lucky for us, there are plenty of resources out there to help you get started!

If you're the type that can learn from books or illustrations, the Craft Yarn Council has a great tutorial available on their web site. There are also a plethora of books and kits available commercially. Just type "learn to crochet" in the search bar on Amazon.

As a side note, I'm personally a fan of the Stitch 'N Bitch series. The books offer down-to-earth advice and some really cool patterns.

But what if you need a little more in the way of demonstration? One option is to look up your local Crochet Guild chapter. Members of the Crochet Guild of America (CGOA) have regular meetings where crocheters of all experience levels get together to share projects, techniques, and good company. My local guild meets regularly at the local library and the meetings are always an opportunity for learning and inspiration.

For those of you who prefer a little less social interaction, there are also some great learn to crochet videos available or free on the internet. One nice example that turned up with a Google search of "crochet video" was NexStitch.com. The folks at NexStitch have developed an entire library of crochet videos that are absolutely free for the downloading. The videos are very professionally done and have great narration. For example, check out the Chain Stitch Tutorial.

So, as you can see, there are a lot of options out there for someone who wants to learn how to crochet. I hope that one of the ones I've mentioned can help you on your next step!

Amigurumi 101

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What is amigurumi?

Amigurumi(編み包み) is the Japanese art of knitting or crocheting small stuffed animals and anthropomorphic creatures. The word is derived from a combination of the Japanese words ami, meaning crocheted or knitted, and nuigurumi, meaning stuffed doll. Amigurumi are typically cute animals (such as bears, rabbits, cats, dogs, etc.), but can include inanimate objects endowed with anthropomorphic features. Amigurumi can be either knitted or crocheted. In recent years crocheted amigurumi are more popular and more commonly seen.